Early Years Educator Apprenticeship

EXPLORERS NURSERY OF WELLS LTD

WELLS (BA5 3LQ)

Closes in 18 days (Monday 6 April 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 19 March 2026

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Summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic, energetic apprentice for our well established nursery. You must have a passion for working with children and want to progress your career in early years.

Wage

£14,976 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Your wage may increase depending on experience and age. We will also offer performance related pay increases if applicable.

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday. Shifts between 8.00am and 5.30pm.

36 hours a week

Start date

Monday 4 May 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

  • Support the learning and development of children aged 0–5 through play and planned activities
  • Help create a safe, clean, and stimulating environment for children
  • Assist with planning and setting up educational activities and resources
  • Observe children’s development and record progress
  • Support children’s personal care needs (e.g., toileting, handwashing, mealtimes)
  • Encourage positive behaviour and help children develop social skills
  • Build positive relationships with children, parents, and colleagues
  • Follow safeguarding and child protection policies at all times
  • Ensure health and safety procedures are followed in the setting
  • Help tidy and organise learning areas and equipment
  • Support inclusive practice and ensure all children feel valued and supported
  • Attend training, coursework, and assessments required for the apprenticeship
  • Work as part of a team to support the daily routine of the nursery or early years setting

Where you'll work

56 BATH ROAD
WELLS
BA5 3LQ

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP

Training course

Early years educator (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
  • Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
  • Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
  • Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
  • Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
  • Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
  • Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
  • Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
  • Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
  • Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
  • Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
  • Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
  • Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
  • Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
  • Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
  • Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
  • Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
  • Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
  • Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.
  • Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
  • Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
  • Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
  • Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
  • Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
  • Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
  • Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
  • Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
  • Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
  • Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
  • Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
  • Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
  • Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
  • Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
  • Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
  • Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
  • Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
  • Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
  • Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
  • Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.

Training schedule

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

More training information

Training will take place one day a week at Strode College, Street

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4/C)
  • Maths (grade 4/C)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Organisation skills
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • Physical fitness
  • Enthusiasm

Other requirements

  • You must have at least one GCSE at grade 4/C to be considered for this apprenticeship. If you do not have these qualifications we will consider strong candidates for a level 2 Early Years Practitioner apprenticeship.
  • You must pass a DBS check.

About this employer

Welcome to Explorers Day Nursery
Rose and Vicky welcome you and your children to our Nursery
We are a mother and daughter team who have worked in childcare for a number of years and have often talked about opening our own Nursery and are now lucky enough to achieve this.  

https://www.explorersnurseryofwells.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

A fulltime permanent position may be available upon successful completion of the apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

UNIVERSITY CENTRE SOMERSET COLLEGE GROUP

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000020161.

Apply now

Closes in 18 days (Monday 6 April 2026 at 11:59pm)